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San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund up to $8.3 million

To date, the fund has granted $2.7 million to organizations working on the frontline to support individuals, families and communities impacted by the coronavirus.

Author: CBS News 8 Team

Published: 1:02 PM PDT April 9, 2020

Updated: 1:09 PM PDT April 9, 2020

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Foundation announced on Thursday, $1 million in additional rapid response grants to local nonprofit organizations providing food security and financial assistance to seniors, children, restaurant workers, and other vulnerable populations through the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund.

To date, the fund has granted $2.7 million to San Diego organizations working on the frontline to support individuals, families, and communities impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

Over 1,900 individuals, companies, foundations and donors at The San Diego Foundation, have raised $8.3 million and in one week earned a $500,000 match from the Halicioglu Family Foundation to support San Diegans in need.

Recent donations include $200,000 from Genentech, $150,000 from the Wells Fargo Foundation and $100,000 from the Colonel Frank C. Wood Memorial Fund at The San Diego Foundation.

The $1 million in additional grant funding includes $330,000 to San Diego Hunger Coalition, $300,000 of which will go immediately to support school districts through the Hunger Free Kids COVID Response Initiative.

“We have seen incredible courage and innovation on the part of school district nutrition service directors countywide, who have sprung into action to help students in need,” shared Anahid Brakke, Executive Director of San Diego Hunger Coalition. “We applaud The San Diego Foundation for directing funds to our region’s school districts. This grant funding will be matched ten-fold by jumpstarting the flow of federally-funded school meals back into our hunger relief system.”

The grant to the San Diego Hunger Coalition is made possible thanks to the Bosch Milk Fund at The San Diego Foundation, a donor-advised fund created by the late philanthropist Anita Bosch to provide meal assistance to San Diego school children who might be otherwise undernourished.

“Lost access to school meals due to COVID-19 has placed thousands of San Diego school children at risk of going hungry,” shared Mark Stuart, President & CEO of The San Diego Foundation. “The Hunger Free Kids COVID Response Initiative and its leaders are working diligently with San Diego County school districts to deliver vital nutrition to our some of our youngest and most vulnerable residents.”

Businesses, individuals and organizations can donate and find additional information about the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund here.

To support the Hunger Free Kids COVID Response Initiative andincrease the capacity and resources available for San Diego County school districts to provide safe, curbside meal assistance to students who, prior to COVID-19, relied on school meal programs for daily meals.